ClearURLs removes tracking parameters from the links you click: the utm_source, the fbclid, the click identifiers that report where you came from. Open source, lightweight, and it cleans in the background while you browse normally. Occasionally a stripped parameter breaks a page that relied on it, and development moves at a calm pace. A small […]
uBlock Origin appears in this list too because it is simply an extension every browser should carry: open source, efficient, and the most effective ad and tracker blocker available. Its element-picker lets you remove anything a list missed. Chrome’s extension changes restrict it, so Firefox is where it lives best. If you install one thing […]
mail.tm makes a disposable address with a password and a public API. That is why developers use it for registration tests. The inbox is not a world-readable web page the way some older throwaway sites are. The operator can still read the mail, and anyone you share the address and password with can read it […]
Temp-Mail.org is the disposable address most people find first: instant inbox, mobile apps, premium options for longer-lived addresses. It does the one job without ceremony. The free version shows ads and offers a paid plan. Fine for a quick one-off code; never use it for anything you need to keep.
ExifTool is the definitive metadata tool: read and write every tag in photos, videos and documents, from GPS coordinates to camera serials to editing history. Perl-based, scriptable, and the engine inside half the privacy tools on the market. It is a command-line instrument, intimidating to newcomers and beloved by everyone who learns it. Photos posted […]
ExifCleaner wraps metadata removal in a drag-and-drop desktop app: drop images or PDFs, it strips EXIF, GPS, comments and color profiles, showing you exactly what was removed. Open source, free, Windows, macOS and Linux. Batch scripting and exotic formats are beyond it, and development has been quiet lately. For cleaning photos before posting, it is […]
OPNsense goes further than router firmware: it is a complete firewall operating system for a dedicated machine, with intrusion detection, VPNs, traffic shaping and per-device rules managed from a proper web interface. Open source and diligently maintained. It wants dedicated hardware with two network cards and a weekend of learning. Households that make the jump […]
pfSense CE is the long-established open-source firewall distribution, professionally backed by Netgate and documented across two decades of deployment. The known quantity of the self-hosted gateway world. The community edition receives some features after the paid product; OPNsense is the fully open alternative. Dependable infrastructure all the same.
Guerrilla Mail has been handing out throwaway inboxes since 2006: no signup, an inbox that survives for an hour, and the ability to send as well as receive. The address is scannable spam food, exactly as intended. The site is ad-supported and the inbox is public knowledge if someone guesses it, so never use disposables […]
OpenWrt replaces consumer router firmware with real Linux: full firewall control, VPN termination on the router, ad blocking, and firmware that receives updates long after the manufacturer forgets the device exists. Flashing differs per model and incompatible hardware can be bricked, so buy from the compatibility list. The foundation of a private home network.
BellCrier breach check
Most people are, and never hear about it. BellCrier checks your email against known data breaches for free, then alerts you when it turns up in a new one, with exactly what leaked and how to fix it.
